Kimiko and the Beast
by misto-shadow
Summary: KimRai Kimiko was only out to find a good tree for the upcoming celebration, and ends up getting lost. she is found and taken to a castle with tales of dragons surrounding it. Rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer-** I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of its characters. I do not own Beauty and the Beast either, even if this story is only similar to it by the roots of its growth.

Title, hmmm……you come up with one! Satisfy your imagination for the day!

Kimiko was a sweet girl, as everyone said. Her father, Mr. Tohomiko loved her dearly, and did everything he could to please her. Despite this spoilish upbringing, Kimiko was kind down to the very marrow of her bone, and wished well to every soul. Although she was kind, her heart wasn't set on any of the boys who were infatuated with her, or any that were not. Though there was one who kept the others away, for he was the richest of the townsfolk, next to the Tohomiko's.

But this story isn't about him, or any of them in fact, this story is how Kimiko found her heart, in the most unexpected place. It dwelled in the body of a beast, high in the mountains, where the frightening tales to keep children obedient were born. But, it appears I am getting ahead of myself, so I will begin at the beginning, the point in which Kimiko began the journey to her heart, her love.

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"Kimiko! I will not let you go out there cough, wheeze alone. Oh dear girl, will you fetch me some water?" Mr. Tohomiko sunk back into the cushy armchair, winded from raising his voice.

"Yes father. Here's some water for your throat. You really shouldn't be raising your voice like that; you'll end up a mute! And yes, I am going out. Today is the first snow of the year, and I plan on going out to celebrate like always! I don't care if it's a blizzard outside, and I don't care if no one else will brave nature with me, I'm going! You just need to relax and work your way out of this cold you've got, and don't worry about me. I'll be fine to go out into the woods and get our Christmas tree, and it will be the best there ever was!" Kimiko smiled broadly at her father.

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Did I mention that Kimiko was as stubborn as three mules together? It must've slipped my mind. She was quite a fighter too, hardened by hanging out with a gang in her childhood years. Her father forbade her to see them when she turned thirteen, because he thought it was unladylike to be seen with such hooligans at an age in which she should be applying makeup for hours, and buying dresses for parties and such. Despite her father she still managed to visit with them once a week, to sneak about and do gang-like things. But she wouldn't have anything to do with fighting other gangs unless they were attacked. Ah, but I am drawing this out! Let's get back to the story….

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"Alright Kimiko, you may go out and mark a tree for us. But you must be back in one hour! No longer, or I will be sending a search party out for you!" Mr. Tohomiko warned.

Kimiko had finally persuaded him to let her go out, and she was currently bundling up in the warmest of clothing.

"Oh, thank you father! I promise to be back soon! Stay rested, and drink a lot of water. The doctor says it's good for your system. And keep those blankets on! The cold will go faster if you sweat it out." Kimiko chided as she pulled the woolen blanket over her father.

"Really, Kimiko. You are the image and spirit of your mother! Now go pick us a tree. And hurry back!" Mr. Tohomiko waved her away and smiled, watching her all the way out the door. He was really hoping she'd pop back in, deciding that it was too cold for a trip to the woods. But, he knew better than that, and rolled over to get some much needed rest.

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Kimiko stepped outside into the flurry of snow. The weather was biting cold, but it didn't bother her in the least. She whistled a Christmas tune that was lost on the wind as she went, not taking much notice that no one else was out. She had expected this, and was glad to get first pick of the trees. Although, it would be a bit difficult to see the trees in this blizzard………no matter! She was going out, and that was that.

Kimiko walked deep into the woods, glancing the pine trees up and down. She hadn't found one that suited her liking, so she continued on. But, Kimiko hadn't thought about the dangers of traveling in such a blizzard. In a matter of minutes her footprints were covered and there was no other way to get back home. She had walked further than the familiar section of trees, and was now walking uphill.

The day wore on and Kimiko realized she had to get back before her father had the entire town up and looking for her. At that moment the folly she had made struck her hard. Kimiko had only retraced a few steps when her footprints disappeared. Panic swept over her and she began to run, tripping and tumbling through the deep snow. She finally slowed to a halt, out of breath and with no sense of direction whatsoever.

"Oh no…..no, no! This can't happen!! Father will be heartbroken if I don't return and they find me here, frozen without a hope in the world!" Kimiko walked on, not even paying attention to the fact that she was going uphill again. She just knew that she had to keep moving, she had to stay warm.

After what seemed like hours of walking (which in truth was only about a half hour) Kimiko collapsed at the base of a large pine. It's wide, thick branches had sheltered the ground beneath it from snow, and Kimiko curled up amongst the dry needles. She prayed to any heavenly being that would listen, so that she might get out of these woods with her life. After a while even her attempts to stay awake failed, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

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"Hey, Nickit, look what I found!" A burly man with leathery skin and thick, bushy black eyebrows called out.

"What is it now, Avery? It better not be another squirrel, or I'll give you a good wallop with the flat of your own axe!" A skinny man with grayed hair and pale skin hurried over. "Oh my! We must get her back to the castle or she'll freeze out here!" His near black eyes widened at the sight of a young girl curled up under a pine tree.

Avery lifted the girl with ease and carried her like he would a baby to shelter her from the harsh winter winds. The other man, Nickit, hurried on ahead of Avery, muttering to himself. In a short while the two passed through a crevice in the side of the mountain, and reemerged to spring weather and a warm breeze. The men quickly sheded their winter coats and gloves, and then proceeded to remove the girls clothing so she wouldn't roast in them. Once they had done so it appeared that the mysterious girl had shrunk, for without the coat, mittens, hat, and boots she was a petite young lady.

Avery and Nickit paused for a moment to puzzle over why she was out in the middle of a blizzard, but then they dismissed the thought and carried on towards the castle. After about ten minutes of walking the two reached the outer wall of the castle and Nickit shouted up to the guard to let them in. A few seconds later the large, iron bar gate creaked open and the weary men entered the courtyard. There were servants aplenty milling about, doing their assigned duties.

Nickit called a short, bald man with shifty black eyes over and told him to inform the master that they had found a girl out in the woods. The man darted away, hurrying to relay his message in hopes of receiving a reward. He dashed up three staircases and didn't even glance at the fourth as he hurried down the hall to a large oak door. He grabbed the gold knocker and struck the door twice, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. He had some very juicy news for the master, very juicy indeed!

A few seconds later a tall, lank butler opened the door, his face expressionless. He wore a sleek black suit and clean white gloves, his face pale with age. A warm smile turned up the corners of his lips, and his clear blue eyes glittered kindly.

"Welcome, Marcus. Do you have some news for Master Young today?" His voice was smooth and light, cheery in all aspects.

"Yes I do, Carlisle, now if you would let me in I shall tell him." Marcus lowered his voice, "Nickit and Avery found a pretty little lady asleep out in the woods today! Isn't that somethin'?"

Carlisle's eyes lit with curiosity and he stepped aside. "Very interesting, very interesting indeed!"

"What is it now, Marcus? I grow weary of your constant company. This better be something good, or you might be stuck shoveling horse manure for the rest of the week!" Chase Young growled from his chair by a large fireplace. The flames were the only light in the spacious room, and they caused strange shadows to dance off the walls.

"Master Chase Young, sir, two men found a young lady out in the woods today. They brought her in out of the cold, and she's still asleep." Marcus bowed low before Chase, his voice timid and his eyes to the floor.

"Hmmm……thank you for informing me, Marcus. Tell them to take her to the infirmary. We want to make sure she's not sick. And who were the two that found her?"

"Nickit and Avery, Master."

"Ah, when they have made sure the doctor is tending to her tell them to come straight here. I must find out how they came upon such a thing in a blizzard." Chase waved Marcus away, and turned his gaze back to the fire.

A lovely young lady didn't just appear around these parts everyday, and his son would surely be intrigued. Maybe there was hope for him yet…

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Kimiko woke up and rubbed her eyes, trying to clear away her blurry vision. She stared confusedly at a grayish….thing above her, not quite sure what to make of it. After she blinked a few times she realized it was a stone ceiling, and then she wondered where on Earth she was. For one, Kimiko knew she wasn't dead, which was a plus, but she knew she wasn't home either, which wasn't so great.

"Ah! I see that you're awake little lady! Now, what be your name?" Kimiko sat bolt upright and looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

Her gaze locked on a burly man with a thick russet beard and a beer belly. He laughed heartily at her startled expression, and she felt instantly at ease. His voice was warm and friendly, and his face was creased with laugh lines.

"I'm Kimiko Tohomiko, who are you? And where am I?"

"Well Miss Tohomiko, my name's Tobias, but most people around here call me Toby. And you're here in Master Young's castle."

"Who's Master Young?"

"Ah, he be Chase Young, the master. His son is our second master, but we never see 'em out and about. We only see Master Young walking around sometimes, but the little 'un is always up in his room."

"Why? Wouldn't he rather be outside?"

"Hahaha! You sure are a curious little thing! The young master is a dragon, and he frightens everyone, so he stays up there for the good of us all. Master Young is also able to change into a dragon, but he only does when there is a threat on our home."

"Wait….this is the place where all those stories come from? About the horrid dragons that terrorize the mountain?"

"Aye, this be where those stories are a comin' from! But, the masters aren't the kind to terrorize. Those are just tales to keep children from misbehavin' or wanderin' off."

"Oh…why is your younger master not human? If the father is, then why isn't the son?"

"Ah, an old witch hag came here about fifteen years ago when the young master was born and placed a curse on him for all the evil his father had done. Now he is unable to assume his human form, and is cursed to stay a dragon forever."

Kimiko was itching to ask more questions, but just then the door opened and a well built man with pitch black hair and golden, catlike eyes entered the room. Toby immediately kneeled down, and spoke in serious tone.

"Good day to you, Master Young. This be the girl Nickit and Avery found in the woods."

Kimiko studied the man, and when he looked at her she glanced away. His eyes were just too weird to look at!

"Ah, so this is her. What is her name, Tobias?" Kimiko was startled when Chase spoke, for his voice was smooth and unearthly, definitely not human.

"She says her name is Kimiko, my Master." Toby was still kneeling, and Chase didn't even look at him when he spoke. His eyes were focused on Kimiko.

Now, she was quite annoyed with the two of them. They were standing (or kneeling, in Toby's case) there talking about her as if she wasn't around! She could tell this 'Master Chase' her own name, she wasn't a mute!

"Excuse me, but I'm right here Toby, I could've answered him myself." Kimiko tried to hide it, but the annoyance in her voice was apparent.

"Hm, very well then Miss Kimiko. Come with me, you seem to be fine, and I'm sure you would like a little tour of the grounds." Chase opened the door for her and she waved goodbye to Toby before leaving.

"Sure, it sounds better than sitting around doing nothing!"

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Marcus scurried down the hallway. He sure had a lot of messages to relay today! He was on his way to the young masters' room to deliver the news of the girl. He stopped at the large oak door, which was the only other one in the castle besides the door to Chase's room. It was convenient, because having different doors for their rooms was much easier than memorizing where they were.

Marcus knocked on the door and waited for the maid to come. She was the only one besides Chase who interacted with the young master daily, and she wasn't the least bit bothered by him being a dragon.

"Yes? Oh hello there Marcus! How do you do?" A short stout woman answered the door. Her graying hair was pulled back in a messy bun and her face was creased with age, but her dark chocolate brown eyes were young and glad to see company.

"I'm fine, Hilda. I have some interesting news for the young master, if you wouldn't mind relaying it to him." Marcus peered into the dark room behind her, but he couldn't see any sign of the young master.

He told her everything he knew about the arrival of the new girl, and Hilda smiled with delight.

"He will be pleased to know this, thank you Marcus!" She began to close the door, but then she paused and dug her hand into the pocket on her apron.

"Here you go this is for your troubles, Marcus. I'm sure it is well deserved." Hilda nodded at him and closed the door.

Marcus pocketed the coin and hurried off to find Chase and confirm that the young master had been told.

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"Who was it, Hilda?" A thickly accented voice called from somewhere in the darkness.

"You will be delighted to hear this, Master. Two men found a pretty young lady out in the woods today, and she appears to be about your age. The men took her to the infirmary just in case she had caught something from being out in the blizzard, but she seems to be fine."

"Thank you for telling me Hilda. See to it that my father knows I wish to see this girl."

"Yes, Master Raimundo."

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So? How is it so far? I'm really excited to be starting another Xiaolin Showdown fic! My last one was just a one-shot, so I'm glad to be writing a chapter story now. I'll be as quick as I can with updating, but I've got another chapter story I'm working on, so please bear with me! I hope you enjoy this, because I'm having a lot of fun writing it. If there's anything you want to know that I didn't include, ask me!! It could benefit everyone else who's reading!! Please tell me what you think, and I'll get the next chapter up ASAP!!!

Mistoffelees Shadow


	2. Settling in

**Disclaimer-** If you read chapter one, you should already know what I'm going to say, so I'm not going to bother saying it. 

Chapter Two- Midnight Encounter

Kimiko followed Chase around the castle and hung on to every word he said. One, because his voice was so….mesmerizing; and two, because everything he talked about fascinated her. The history of the castle, what it was like living there, the jobs of the workers, how they came to be there…..it was just so interesting! But the thing that Kimiko found the most interesting was the weather.

"Here in this valley in the mountains the warm air is trapped during the winter, so it has no way out. Because of that we only experience autumn, spring, and summer. In place of your winter we have a mix of autumn and spring, when everything is ripe and ready for harvest, and the plants are all growing new leaves. There is a village on the other side of our valley, and we are often attacked by them. I don't see why they haven't given up yet, because they will never bring destruction to my castle." Chase sounded quite……annoyed when he was talking about the other village.

Kimiko was about to ask him if they could go visit his son, but then she thought better of it. If he found out she knew that much and she hadn't even stayed here for more than a few hours, he'd most likely punish Toby for being so loose lipped. Instead, she decided to ask if he had any children.

"So, do you have a wife? Or any kids, perhaps?" Kimiko acted innocent, and she passed his scrutiny with flying colors. She had gotten very good at acting over the years.

"Yes, I do have a son. I met his mother in Brazil, and we stayed there and got married. She gave birth to Raimundo, but died before we could return here. I am only sorry he does not have a mother to take care of him. But he does have Hilda, so there is some sense of maternity there."

"Could we go--" Kimiko was cut off when Marcus hurried up to them and bowed before Chase.

"Master Chase, Master Raimundo wishes to meet…" he glanced at Kimiko.

"Kimiko" she smiled at him, and he nodded in return.

"Master Raimundo wishes to meet Lady Kimiko." Marcus glanced up at the castle then, almost as if he were looking to see if anyone in particular was watching.

"Hmm…Very well. Take her to Hilda, and then come to my room. I have a letter I need you to deliver. Oh, Kimiko?" Chase looked at her with his piercing golden gaze.

"Yes?"

"What did you say your last name was?"

"Tohomiko, why?"

"I will be sending a letter to your parents so they know you're safe. Surely they must be worried sick." He quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh, you're right! My papa has probably sent out a search party for me by now! sigh and I promised him I wouldn't be long….." Kimiko looked down at her feet and a sad expression worked its way across her face.

"Very well then. I shall see you at dinner, Kimiko." And with that Chase turned away and walked back into the castle.

Marcus waited until Chase had reentered the castle before speaking.

"Master Raimundo is waiting. Let's go." With that he hurried off, Kimiko trailing behind. She was very worried about her father.

Ten minutes later they arrived at the large oak door.

"Now, Lady Kimiko, Master Raimundo doesn't wish to be seen, and his room is totally dark. Do not be startled, there is no danger, I just thought you aught to know that before you go in." Marcus nodded towards the door.

Kimiko smiled in return, and Marcus knocked a few times. Hilda answered the door, the worry lines in her face creasing even deeper when she saw Kimiko. She exchanged a glance with Marcus, and then smiled.

"Ah, you must be Lady Kimiko! It is a pleasure to see a new face around these parts. We don't have a lot of visitors around these parts, you know? Well, the young master is waiting!" She opened the door a bit wider and gently urged Kimiko in.

"Will I be needed?" Marcus questioned, but just by the tone of voice he had you could tell he really didn't care.

"No, you may leave. I'll ring for you when Lady Kimiko is ready to go."

"I don't think I'll be able to come Hilda, Master Chase wishes for me to deliver a letter down the mountainside."

"Oh, well in that case I'll ring for Nickit! Lady Kimiko will surely be pleased to meet her savior!" Hilda smiled warmly, the laugh lines around her eyes creasing with pleasure.

"Very well, I'll be going now!" Marcus waved to the ladies and hurried down the hall, eager to get a start on his little mission.

"Well then Lady Kimiko, in we go!" She pulled Kimiko in the rest of the way and closed the door.

It was pitch black inside, and Kimiko couldn't even see her hand an inch in front of her face. _'I really wish they would stop calling me Lady Kimiko….it's kind of annoying!'_ She was snapped out of her thoughts when a voice rich with a foreign accent slid into her ears.

"Good day to you, Lady Kimiko." The voice sneered at her from the dark, and then became a bit friendlier. "I've heard of the tale as to why you are here. Do you plan on staying?"

Kimiko was peeved that the voice of this Raimundo fellow was so accusatory when he first spoke, but she smiled at him in the darkness. She couldn't help it, she was intrigued by his voice.

"I really wish you people would stop calling me Lady Kimiko. It's too formal and stuffy sounding!" She rolled her eyes.

Little did she know that Raimundo could see her perfectly well in the dark, and he saw her gesture. The whole time he had watched her talk, smile, totally unaware of the fact that he could see her. But he knew she knew that he was stuck as a dragon, this monstrosity, so it intrigued him to see that she was totally at ease and relaxed. Not the least bit frightened of being with a beast in a dark room where no one would see if she was harmed. It was interesting indeed.

A small devilish smile pulled his lips back from his mouth, revealing a set of clean white teeth. Sharp and deadly teeth that could tear through flesh like a knife through soft butter. Raimundo stood from the chair he had been lounging on and made his way over to Kimiko without a single sound.

"Well then _Kimiko,_ are you planning on staying?" Kimiko yelped and jumped away from the voice that whispered in her ear, the warm breath that came along with it sending shivers down her spine.

"Oh man, don't do that! You scared me! A little warning would've been nice." Kimiko scolded the man she couldn't even see.

Raimundo was a bit disappointed that she wasn't trembling in fear, asking to leave. Maybe she hadn't been told, maybe she didn't know he was a dragon. Well, he'd soon find out.

"Kimiko, answer me this. What am I?" He questioned her, and watched as her face twisted in confusion.

"What do you mean? If you're speaking of your status in this castle, I know you're the second master." She tried to answer what she thought the meaning of his question was.

"No, I'm asking if you know what race I am." He growled, annoyed with her misunderstanding.

Kimiko laughed and relaxed again.

"Oh! You're human." She said, and before Raimundo could correct her she held up her hand.

"Let me finish. You are human, a human trapped in the body of a beast. A dragon, that's what you appear to be, but you are not. You should be like Chase, a human capable of changing at will, but because of a curse you are not." Kimiko stared into the darkness, hoping she was looking somewhere in his direction.

To say the least Raimundo was a bit surprised. She had said he was human, even though she knew he was a dragon! A beast! Kimiko sparked his interest, and he planned on learning more about her and her strange reasoning. But his thoughts were cut short when he remembered he had to respond.

"Huh. Whatever you say I don't care. I am a _beast._ A freak that doesn't deserve to see the light of day, and that's exactly why I'm here in the dark."

Kimiko was shocked by the words he used against himself, and she stepped forward automatically to correct his pessimistic thinking. But all too late she realized she had no idea where she was going, and she couldn't see what lie in her path. She managed to walk a couple feet, but then her toe caught the edge of the rug and she was sent tumbling. Kimiko expected to land on the hard floor, but it startled her when two scaly arms caught her mid-fall.

Raimundo didn't know what to do. On instinct he reached out and stopped the girl from falling, but now they were in contact. What should he do!? He couldn't just drop her and apologize, she'd be furious! Not that he cared, but he wanted to know more about Kimiko before she stormed home and got the entire town up in arms against them. So, he politely corrected her so she was standing upright, and before he could pull away back into the haven of darkness, she did something totally unexpected. Kimiko hugged him.

"You can't think such bad things about yourself! Your life will be miserable, and it will get worse and worse, and then you'll die such a horrible death, all alone and at war with yourself." Kimiko wasn't the least bit bothered that she was hugging a dragon; she just wanted him to feel better about himself.

Maybe if she hugged him and showed him that she wasn't afraid, that she didn't think he was a monster at all, maybe he would take it to heart. Maybe. Finally Raimundo managed to speak.

"What….what are you doing?! I'm a monster! You must be a fool, I could kill you right where you stand and you decide to _hug _me!?!?" Raimundo couldn't fathom why she was doing this, and it drove him crazy because she was.

"If you were a killer, I'd be dead already. If you were a terrible monster, your father wouldn't have kept you alive. There must be a reason for that, and hope for you!" Kimiko tried desperately to get him to understand, but he was too biased against himself.

Raimundo couldn't take it anymore. He shoved Kimiko off of him and turned away. He saw Hilda still standing by the door, and because of what she had heard she was a bit…..shocked.

"Hilda, get her out of here." Raimundo didn't bother to push Kimiko to the door, so Hilda had to come over ad get her.

Kimiko was very, _very _annoyed. He was so self-centered!! All he could think about was his appearance and what he was, and he didn't even care about anybody else.

"Jerk…" Kimiko muttered as she left the room, and thankfully Raimundo wasn't paying enough attention to hear her.

Hilda rang a bell on the inside of the door, and a few minutes later a young boy came racing down the hall and skidded to a stop in front of them.

"Yes ma'am?" The boy panted, and Hilda smiled down at him kindly.

"Fetch Nickit for me, will you?" Hilda patted the boy on the head and dug in her pocket for a coin.

The little boy eyed the coin greedily and snatched it away, pocketing it as soon as it reached his hands.

"Yes ma'am!" He saluted and raced back the way he came, a smile plastered to his pudgy face.

Kimiko stood at Hilda's side feeling awkward. Here she was, but a guest in this magnificent castle, and she had just tried to persuade one of the masters to change his way of thinking. She barely even knew him! Hell, she didn't even know what he looked like! Her father always said she tended to butt heads with people much too often…..

"Ah, Nickit! I was wondering when you would arrive! Oh, and I see you brought Avery too…how did you manage to get him out of the kitchen?" Hilda eyed Avery warily, her gaze lingering on the fresh flour that adorned his apron.

"Please don't get that flour on anything Avery, the master will have a fit!" She laughed and turned back to the door. "Master Raimundo is probably in need of some alone time, so I will let him be. Good day to you all!" She walked down the hall and entered a room two doors down from Raimundo's.

"It is nice to see you are awake and well, Lady Kimiko." Nickit smiled at her and bowed.

"Ugh, please stop calling me Lady Kimiko! Do you know how……how annoying that is?!" She threw up her hands in a show of frustration.

Nickit laughed and Avery grinned broadly, and when Kimiko looked at their happy faces she felt warm. Warm like when you spend the day with your family or your spouse, and the day is so wonderful that you never want it to end. Warm like the perfect end to a day, warm like unbound joy, warm like the feeling of being around close family. Kimiko was already feeling at home with these people and their kind, caring mannerisms. Everyone that lived here were so closely knit, they were like one giant family. It made Kimiko want one of her own, with children and a loving husband.

"Come now, we must prepare your room!" Nickit smiled kindly, his eyes twinkling with warmth.

"So Lad--I mean Kimiko, are you going to be staying long? We love company, you know. And you have such a nice personality! I'm sure it would sooth the young master if he had a friend such as you." Avery chatted on, his deep voice echoing off the walls.

"Oh, well thank you sir!" She was embarrassed by all the niceties. "This place is so beautiful, and everyone is so kind. If my papa allows it, I would be glad to stay for a while!" The trio turned and headed up a flight of stairs.

"Your room is on this floor." Nickit waved his hand nonchalantly around.

This level was different from all the others Kimiko had seen. It was a large, circular room with a beautiful blue and white rug covering the floor. There were five doors that ringed the room, and at the opposite side from where the group stood was yet another staircase. On the wall between each door was a large painting. Kimiko examined them going from left to right starting with the one that was parallel to the staircase she had just ascended.

"These are all fathers of Master Chase. Over there is his picture, and if you backtrack you will see his father, his grandfather, and so on." Nickit pointed to the painting of Chase Young, and Kimiko noticed there was an empty frame hanging on the other side of the door.

"Is that the frame for the painting of Raimundo?" She inquired, staring at the intricate detail carved into the wood of the frame.

"Yes, but we doubt a picture will ever be in that frame. You see, not even his father has seen his human side since the curse was placed upon him, and because of that no one really knows what he looks like."

"Oh….that's awful….does he even know what he looks like as a human?" Kimiko asked, her blue eyes glittering in curiosity.

In response Nickit shook his head and opened the door between the empty frame and Chase Young's picture. "This will be your room during your stay here. If you plan on becoming a resident, you will probably need to take up a job. It gets awfully boring sitting around doing nothing all day once you've seen every corner of the castle." He smiled and stepped aside, allowing Kimiko to get a look at the room she would be staying in.

The carpet was a dark, rich blue and the walls were painted a soft green. Jungle vines were painted on the walls, twisting and curving their way up to the ceiling and meeting at the centre where the light was. There was a large oak dresser adorned with intricate carvings against the wall on the left. At the end of the room was an oak-framed bed with rich blue covers. It was twice as large as it needed to be for one person, but Kimiko decided it would give her more room to roll around in her sleep.

Against the wall on the right was a large rectangular object, reaching almost to the ceiling. It was only about three inches thick and stretched halfway across the room from the end of the bed. Kimiko eyed it curiously, but before she could ask about it Nickit was chatting again.

"I do hope you enjoy your stay, Kimiko. We will be having dinner in an hour, so please make yourself at home. I'll be back up in forty-five minutes to lead you to the dining hall, so be ready. You will find there is already clothing in the dresser, so feel free to try them on." He bowed and started to close the door, but Kimiko stopped him.

"Oh, I forgot to thank you for saving me! I don't know what would've happened to me if you hadn't found me! If my father had found out that I was….well you know, he would be heartbroken!! He's already sick, and my mother passed away a while ago. He would've been all alone…." Kimiko shifted and stared at her feet, a troubled look crossing her face.

"Now don't you worry Kimiko, your father will be fine. There's no need to thank us, just you visiting is good enough for us." Nickit smiled and Avery nodded, his eyes twinkling in joy. Apparently they had guests _very _rarely.

"Just one more thing. Will Raimundo be joining us for dinner?"

"Heavens no! He always has his dinner brought to him in his room. Usually Hilda takes it up when she's done eating her own meal." At these words a flash of realization crossed Avery's face and he dashed back to the stairs, the flour on his apron falling off and dusting the carpet in a transparent coat of white.

"I have to hurry back to start dinner! I shall see you later Miss Kimiko!" And with that he disappeared down the stairs.

Nickit shook his head and chuckled to himself. "Well then, I aught to be going as well. Master Chase wishes for me to relay the details on your discovery to him before the day's end, so I should head over there before dinner. He will be much to tired to listen to me afterward." Nickit nodded goodbye to Kimiko and hustled off, the door drifting shut in the absence of a prop to keep it open.

"Well, I guess I should change out of these clothes. It's not proper for me to be dressed like this at my first dinner here." Sighing she made her way over to the dresser and sifted through the lovely dresses halfheartedly. She really hated such formalities.

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Okay, so much for updating ASAP……..I'm really sorry you guys!!!! I've been so distracted by homework, and the holidays, and getting sick with the same cold three times over……oivay, there's really no excuse for my lateness!! I hope this chappie makes up for it! And just so you don't feel like I neglected it, I haven't been working on any of my other fics either, so I've been slacking. A LOT. Arigato for waiting around for me!! Until next time!

Mistoffelees Shadow


	3. Midnight Encounter

Oh, and just for those who were wondering, one of my reviewers brought up something that I totally failed to include. Raimundo looks just like Chase does as a dragon, but the only difference is eye color (Raimundo has green eyes) and the fringe thing that Chase has is black, while the one Rai has is brown. Thanks for the heads up Melting snowflake!

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**Disclaimer-** Okay, from here on out there will be no more disclaimers. You already know that I do NOT own Xiaolin Showdown or any of its characters, and the same goes for Beauty and the Beast, so understand that will not change during the time that I work on this fic!! Besides, who reads these things anyway?

Chapter Three- Midnight Encounter

To say the least the dinner was wonderful. Kimiko had her fill of roast duck, pork, seasoned potatoes and breads of all kinds. The greens were fresh, making some of the best salad that had ever graced a table. Exotic fruit was piled high on fine china dishes, and there was always a bowl of honey nearby to sweeten the taste. By the time dessert rolled around Kimiko was stuffed. Every sort of cavity inducing delight was set on the table, from the richest of chocolate cake to the simplest of elegantly frosted sugar cookies.

Now, Kimiko was seated between Nickit and the head of the table where Chase Young sat. Across from her was a lively servant girl that appeared to be of the same age as herself. Kimiko was holding a decent conversation with her, and once they broke the ice she discovered the girl's name was Keiko. The two chattered endlessly until Chase interrupted.

"Excuse me Kimiko, but Marcus has informed me that Hilda has fallen ill. Would it be a trouble for you to take my son his dinner?" Behind the cool façade that masked his features and kept golden eyes void of emotion, Chase was smirking. Hilda was fit as a fiddle.

"Oh, sure. But would it be okay if Nickit came with me? I don't really know my way around yet, and by the time I find the right room his dinner will be cold!" She glanced at Nickit, and he reassured her with a nod.

"Yes, that will do. Go find Avery in the kitchen, he has the meal ready." Chase waved them off, and then informed a short, bald man that dinner was over. The man scurried off only to return moments later with a team of busboys.

While they were clearing the table everyone returned to their respected stations to clean up for the night and the short man went to arouse the guards. Nickit led Kimiko to the kitchen and she received the dinner for Raimundo from Avery and was shooed out.

"Go on now, I have to finish breakfast for the night watch and clean up for the other kitchen team!" Avery nudged them back out the door and returned to the kitchen to check on the sesame buns in the oven.

"He's making…..breakfast?" Kimiko looked at Nickit with a puzzled expression.

"Yes. Avery and his kitchen crew makes lunch, dinner, and the nighttime breakfast. Then the second kitchen crew gets up to prepare midnight lunch, dinner, and the morning breakfast and then the routine starts all over again. The night watch is a group of guards that are stationed around the castle during the night. They sleep all day get up to start their duties while we're getting ready for bed." He explained as they started up the first flight of stairs.

"Oh. So basically these guys are nocturnal?"

Nickit chuckled. "Well yes, I guess you could say that." They continued down the hall and ascended the next flight of stairs, passing a large, decorated oak door that Kimiko assumed was Chase Young's room.

After walking in silence for the rest of the trek Nickit stopped and informed Kimiko that they had arrived. He knocked on the door and when Hilda answered he gave her a confused look.

"Hello there Hilda. I thought Master Chase said you were ailing?" She mirrored his expression.

"No, I'm perfectly fine! I don't know what gave him that idea. I was beginning to wonder if Marcus was too busy to inform me that dinner had ended. Usually he comes up to tell me and then I go down to get dinner for Master Raimundo, but I see that it has been brought up!" She smiled kindly at Kimiko and took the plate from her. "Thank you Miss Kimiko! You saved my old bones the trouble of getting down those stairs and back. They're always quite achy whenever a rainstorm is a brewin'!"

"Don't mention it! I kind of needed an excuse to get away from Keiko. She talks to much!" The trio laughed at the remark, but then Hilda hurried back into the room to serve Raimundo his dinner.

Nickit accompanied Kimiko back to her room, and along the way Marcus intercepted them, an annoyed expression plainly displayed on his face.

"A letter for you, Miss Kimiko. I believe it's from your father." He thrust the envelope at her, his voice gruff with impatience.

"You seem troubled Marcus. What's on your mind?" Nickit asked in concern, but he couldn't help but laugh when the messenger stuck out his bottom lip and pouted.

"Master Chase told me to deliver the letter explaining where she was," he gestured at Kimiko, "but when I got to the gate there was another messenger on horseback waiting for me. He told me that Master Chase informed him to take the letter instead, because it would be faster by hoof than foot!" Marcus huffed angrily.

"Is that the only reason?" Nickit knew there was more. Marcus loved his job only because he usually got tips for delivering.

"No! When that delivery stealer got back he was awarded a gold coin for his troubles! That was my job! My troubles, not his!" Marcus had worked himself into a fit all over again and stalked off, muttering about 'stupid job snatchers'.

Kimiko tore open the envelope while the two were conversing and read it hastily.

_Dear Kimiko,_

_I am very glad that you are unharmed. I was worried sick when you didn't return and the sun began to sink behind the hills! I was informed that you wished to stay in this castle for a while, and your aunt insisted on keeping me company until I got well or you returned. Enjoy yourself, and please be careful! _

_Love always,_

_Your Worried Father_

Kimiko smiled at the letter and looked up when Nickit placed a hand on her shoulder.

"So? What news has your father sent?"

"He said is was okay if I hung around, and that my Aunt Marie would be taking care of him while I'm gone. She's the only relative beside my grandparents that still lives in town. Everyone else moved away or was caught by the flu a few years ago when it swept across the country." Her face fell at these words, as if she were remembering painful memories.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Well, here we are. If you need anything, just pull the cord by the door. One of the night watch boys should be up to assist you." He opened the door to Kimiko's new room and gestured to the white cord by the door.

"Hey Nickit?"

"Yes Kimiko?"

"I was just wondering, who had this room before me? I mean, it was already stocked with everything I would need as a lady."

"This was the room Master Chase had worked so hard on so it would be perfect when he came back from Brazil with his wife. But, when she passed on, he had this room locked up, so no one ever really lived in it. Goodnight Kimiko." He nodded and closed the door, leaving her with her thoughts.

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Kimiko shot up in bed, her brow damp with sweat. She shivered and pulled the blankets up around her. The dream she had….was so vivid and real….but, she couldn't remember why she was afraid, or what the dream was, for that matter. She needed to take a walk.

Kimiko swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked over to the dresser, pulling out a pair of long white pants and a dark blue shirt. Apparently the Lady liked blue, because over half of the outfits and dresses in the wardrobe were some shade of blue.

Once she was dressed she slipped her feet into a pair of soft leather sandals and walked over to the door where she pulled on the cord. In a matter of minutes a young boy was at her door, his pale blue eyes wide with curiosity.

"Yes ma'am?" He bowed and flipped the hat off his head. It was much too big for such a young boy, and Kimiko giggled when he put it back on and it slid down over his eyes.

"Will you inform the guards that I will be taking a walk outside? I do not wish to be shot at by archers or anything of the sort." The boy nodded and hurried down the stairs, but she walked slowly and he was soon out of sight.

Kimiko finally made it down to the gate and the night watch let her outside without question. She smiled and reminded herself to thank the boy when she saw him again. She wandered around the walls aimlessly until she happened upon a stone walk that led away from the wall. She followed it out of curiosity, and was glad that the moon was out to light her way.

After walking for some time the stone path led into a grove of cherry trees, and currently they were just sprouting new leaves. Winter hadn't ended back home she knew, but this place tucked away in the mountains was just beginning to bloom and the harvest season was ending.

Kimiko followed the path until she came upon a huge, black wrought iron fence. The gate to it stood a few feet higher and was designed with great intricacy in mind. Hesitantly she opened the gate and went in, surprised that it wasn't locked. Little did she know that it was normally locked, but someone else had come ahead of her and unlocked it himself.

She wandered around in awe. It was a beautiful garden, full of every sort of flower and bush imaginable. She noticed, that even here in the warm weather the winter blossom grew. Back home it would only bloom during the week before the first snow and a week after the last of it had melted. But of course, this wasn't back home.

Kimiko came upon a huge weeping willow tree in the middle of the garden and she sat in the thick, soft moss that grew around it. She leaned against the tree and closed her eyes, enjoying the fresh night air.

"Do you make it a habit of invading personal places?" A thickly accented voice shocked her out of the trace she was in and she opened her eyes wide in alarm.

Standing before her was a dragon. For only a moment was she scared, and then she realized that this was Raimundo, the second master of the castle. Her fright was washed away by a such a strong curiosity that it made her fingertips tingle in excitement. She had never got the chance to see him before, and it was intriguing.

Now, Raimundo was expecting to scare her witless so that she would realize he _was _a monster and deserved to stay locked in that dark room all his life, but the response he got was anything but. Kimiko rose to her feet, and he could see the moonlight glitter off her sky blue eyes. He watched her motionlessly as she walked around and examined him a few times, and then stopped in front of him and stared.

After a few seconds she leaned forward and stood on her tippy toes to get a good look at his eyes. She smiled brightly then and rocked back on her heels, pure satisfaction shining in her eyes. Raimundo was confused when a strange twinge made his stomach twist when she smiled. He had never felt anything like it before, and he had no idea what it was.

"What?" he growled, his white teeth flashing in the moonlight when he spoke.

"I _knew_ it!" her smile widened and she spun around, laughing at some secret success that he didn't know about.

"You know what?" he was becoming impatient. She was getting on his nerves, and if she wouldn't tell him he would shake it out of her.

"I knew you weren't a monster! I knew it!"

"_What?!" _There was an incredulous look on his face. He was baffled! Was that really why she had been examining him??

"You may appear to be a monster on the outside, but I can tell by your eyes that you aren't. They're….they're too sweet to be monsters' eyes." She poked him in the chest and smirked triumphantly.

Raimundo was too shocked to say anything. No one but Chase and Hilda had ever taken the time to get to know him and look past his scaly exterior, and even Hilda was a bit frightened in the beginning. But here was this girl, this girl that he had never known, this girl that hadn't even been here for more than a day and she was already looking at him like an equal. An equal, not some low-life blood lusting beast.

Kimiko laughed at his expression and sat back down beneath the willow tree. He just stared at her, not knowing how to react to such behavior. He had never met such an odd person in his life, and he had no idea what to do about her.

"So, have you always lived up there in that room all your life? Don't you ever come out during the day?" Apparently talking to a dragon with razor sharp teeth and claws didn't bother her.

"I never come outside during the day, everyone is afraid of me." Raimundo jumped up to the branch above her head and settled down on it, watching her with fascinated green eyes.

"Oh. So how did you get like that anyway? I mean, shouldn't you be like your father?" Kimiko slid down the tree until she was laying on her back so she could see Raimundo up in the tree.

"My father told me that when I was born an old witch hag said I would have to pay the price for his crimes when he was younger, and she forced me to change permanently. He doesn't talk to me much, and when he does his eyes are always sad."

"Don't you hate him? I mean it is his fault that you were forced to be like this." Kimiko puzzled, her eyes locked with his.

"No, I couldn't hate my own father, he's the only family I have. Do you hate your father?" Raimundo cocked his head and Kimiko couldn't help but laugh.

His stomach flip-flopped when she laughed, and it confused him. Why was he feeling such strange things every time she smiled or laughed? Even her crystal blue eyes made his heart beat faster when he looked into them.

"I love my daddy. He's always taken care of me and done everything he could to keep me happy ever since my mom died when I was five." Her eyes were still turned in his direction, but they grew distant and sad.

It made his heart twist with hurt. He knew how she felt living without her mother. Minutes ticked by and the two just sat, enjoying the night and the company of a fellow mourner who knew very little of their deceased mother.

"Hey, Kimiko?"

"Huh?"

"Does…..does this mean that, you know, that we're friends?" Raimundo braced himself for hurtful words, for rejection because of his appearance, but it never came. Kimiko smiled at him and her eyes danced in the moonlight.

"Does the sun shine?" Raimundo smiled, and his teeth shone bright in the light of the moon.

"Yeah."

"Well then there's your answer." She laughed, and he couldn't help but smile wider.

He had a friend. After all these years of being alone he had finally made a friend. Somebody to talk to when he was feeling lost and afraid of what the rest of his life would bring. Now he had a real friend that would be by his side to help him. He felt….warm.

Raimundo dropped out of the tree and stood beside Kimiko, his tail lashing back and forth with pleasure. (A/N: No, not like a dogs' tail, a dragon! Think of a _dragons'_ tail!) Kimiko stood up and smiled happily at him. She had finally broken through that outer shell. It made her glad to know that she had been able to force her way past his mistrust. It made her feel….warm.

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Okay, I was going to make this chapter longer, but then I decided not to. I mean, this was the _perfect _place to stop! So this was a little preview for the upcoming fluff, so be ready! Maybe not in the next chapter, but there WILL be more fluff!! I might be taking this a little too fast, but the next chapters are going to be a bit less jumpy and quick. Their friendship will grow, and all that warm happy stuff.

If there is anything that doesn't fit right or you have a question, feel free to ask! Chapter suggestions are welcome, and if you have any helpful hints on how I could improve, please share them with me in a review! Until next chapter, adios! If you actually read this, put 'Runaway' somewhere in your review. Thanks for reading!!

Mistoffelees Shadow


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